Benjamin Bowmar "Ben" Curtis (born November 2, 1980), also known as the Dell Dude, is an American actor, singer, guitarist and former promoter for Dell Computers. Curtis was prominently featured in the popular "Dell Dude" ads from 2000 to 2003.
He has gone on to become an award-winning actor on stage and screen. He's best known for his lead role in the politically relevant and gripping Off-Brodway play "The Crusade of Connor Stephens," produced by Bryan Cranston. He's also known for his lead role as PTSD veteran Jordan in the award-winning Indy feature "We Are The Hartmans."
In 2015, he co-founded world renown wellness company SOLFUL LLC with his wife Cassie Fireman. http://www.solful.me
In 2016, Curtis & Fireman also co-founded Indy Folk band-on-the-rise, DIRTY MAE: http://www.dirtymae.com
Video Ben Curtis (actor)
Early life and education
Curtis is the second of two children, and has an older sister named Polly. He attended and graduated from The McCallie School, an all-boys school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after completing elementary school at Saint Nicholas School, also in Chattanooga.
At the age of four years, Curtis met illusionist David Copperfield. Inspired by Copperfield's performance, Curtis started his own magic business at the age of thirteen. Curtis went on to compete in and win a few national stage contests. Curtis later attended Tannen's Magic School in New York City. While at the school, Ben created, produced, directed, and starred in his first full-scale illusion show. The show consisted of his skills in music, acting, magic, and mime.
At age 18, Ben achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
Curtis attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts on an acting scholarship. While at NYU, Ben has attended The Lee Strasberg Institute & the Atlantic Theater Company, as well as studying the techniques of Grotowski and Brecht at Tisch's Experimental Theater Wing (both in America and Amsterdam).
Maps Ben Curtis (actor)
The Dell Dude
As part of a commercial advertising campaign, Curtis portrayed the character Steven. The casting call asked for a boy 12 to 17 years old; Curtis was 20 years old. This advertising campaign popularized the phrase "Dude, you're getting a Dell." The commercials would usually feature chipper Steven informing prospective buyers of all the perks of owning a Dell. When the party was sold on the idea he would close with the catchphrase "Dude, you're getting a Dell." The campaign was a huge success and not only helped bring prominence to Dell, but to Curtis as well.
Arrest
On February 9, 2003, Curtis was caught attempting to buy a small amount of marijuana on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Curtis was arrested and charged with criminal possession of marijuana.
The case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, such that the case would be dismissed and Curtis's record cleared if he remained clean for the next twelve months.
Curtis then did a 180, as he "learned a valuable lesson." He turned his life around, stayint clean unto this very day, graduated from New York University's, Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Acting. If that wasn't enough, he began to each inner city kids, started a wellness company to help heal the kind of trauma he experience as a PTSD victim of the 9/11 attacks. He is still teaching, healing, and an award-winning actor on stage and screen. http://www.imdb.me/bencurtis
Life after Dell
In the spring of 2004, Boca Raton, Florida-based AdSouth Partners hired Curtis to lead its marketing campaign for the launch of Gameznflix, an Internet video game and movie rental service. Regarding the marijuana incident, Curtis, then 23, and a senior at New York University, told an interviewer for the South Florida Business Journal, "I learned an important lesson. I've been through that experience and I've come out of that a better and smarter person. I've learned what it means to be a role model and I feel blessed to have a second chance."
In 2005, Curtis played the role of Christian in the Off-Broadway comedy Joy by John Fisher. The show ran at the Actors' Playhouse in Manhattan's West Village from August 14 to September 25. The play and his performance both received generally favorable reviews.
In 2006, Curtis starred in the award-winning short film Raccoon opposite Jonathan Togo ("Mystic River" and "CSI: Miami").
Curtis has guest-starred on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and an episode of Law & Order in 2007. He has appeared in several independent productions, most recently Take Me Out at NYU's Abe Burrows Theatre and in Alexander Klymko's 2011 film Spy.
Curtis has grown into an upstanding citizen, public speaker and an award-winning actor on stage and screen. He's best known for his lead role in the politically relevant and gripping Off-Brodway play "The Crusade of Connor Stephens," produced by Bryan Cranston. He's also known for his lead role as PTSD veteran Jordan in the award-winning Indy feature "We Are The Hartmans."
In 2015, he co-founded world renown wellness company SOLFUL LLC with his wife Cassie Fireman. http://www.solful.me
In 2016 , Curtis began playing a recurring guest spot on Adult Swim's The Jack and Triumph Show.
Curtis & spouse, Cassie Fireman, co-founded Indy-band-on-the-rise, DIRTY MAE: http://www.dirtymae.com
Filmography
References
External links
- Official Web site
- Ben Curtis on IMDb
- 'Dell Dude' released after marijuana arrest from CNN
- Boy's Life Article
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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